Dog-Friendly Places in Gloucester

Gloucester is a compact city with a lot of history packed into a small space: a medieval cathedral, Victorian docks full of converted warehouses, and some of the oldest pubs in the country. Many of them welcome dogs, and the countryside is never far away.

Around the docks

• Dr Foster's: a gastropub in a converted warehouse. Dogs are welcome downstairs in the bar, on the quayside, in the courtyard and in the conservatory, with comfy beds to relax on.
• Blue Bamboo and The Tall Ship: a relaxed bar near the Mariners' Church, and a pub known for its fish and chips. Well-behaved dogs are welcome inside both.
• Portivo Lounge at Gloucester Quays follows the Lounge Canine Code. As it's in a shopping centre, call ahead to check before you go.
• Hobbycraft at The Peel Centre welcomes dogs on leads in the store.

Historic pubs in the city centre

• The New Inn, Northgate Street: a 15th-century galleried courtyard inn. Dogs are welcome in the pub and the courtyard, though not in the guest rooms.
• The Fountain Inn, Westgate Street: a Grade II listed pub with a courtyard, with dogs welcome inside and out and treats at the bar.
• The Drunken Duck: Gloucester's smallest pub, tucked away on Bull Lane.
• The Turks Head Inn: a quirky micropub near Kings Square, with treats for dogs.
• The Thirsty Pine Beer Cafe: a huge range of beers and a stage for live music.

Cafés

• The Comfy Pew, College Street: a family-run café in a Tudor-framed building right by the cathedral, with church pews for seats. Dogs are welcome inside.
• Coro Lounge, Kings House: an all-day café bar, with treats for four-legged guests.

Walks and country pubs

Robinswood Hill Country Park, on the south-east edge of the city, has about 250 acres of hillside with waymarked trails and views across the Severn Vale to the Forest of Dean and the Cotswolds. Dogs are welcome. The Gloucester and Sharpness Canal towpath runs south from the docks for an easy, flat walk.

• The Pilot Inn, Hardwicke: a canalside pub with a beer garden overlooking the water. Dogs are allowed in the lower half of the bar.
• The Red Lion, Arlingham: a community-owned village pub close to the River Severn and the Horseshoe Bend walks.
• Wheatstone Inn, Barnwood: a country-style pub close to Barnwood Park and Arboretum.
• The Thatch Inn, Quedgeley: one of Gloucestershire's oldest buildings, where dogs of any size can stay (an additional charge applies).
• The Royal George Hotel, Birdlip: up on the Cotswold edge, with a limited number of dog-friendly rooms.

A good day: walk the canal towpath from the docks, have lunch at Dr Foster's, then explore the old streets around the cathedral and finish with a pint at The New Inn.

Quick answers

• Do dogs need to be on a lead in Gloucester? The city-wide order says dogs must be kept under control and put on a lead if asked. Dogs aren't allowed in children's play parks.
• Where's a good dog walk near Gloucester? Robinswood Hill, or the canal towpath from the docks.
• Which Gloucester pubs welcome dogs inside? Most of the pubs in this guide, including The New Inn, The Fountain Inn and Dr Foster's.